The Friends of the Lewistown Public Library
The Friends of the Lewistown Public Library are a group of dedicated supporters helping the Lewistown Public Library be the very best that it can be. Our Library is funded by the City and Fergus county; however the budget is a barebones budget without room for unexpected repairs or expenses. Our Friends try to help out when an unexpected or unbudgeted need occurs. For example, in 2018 the original historic doors to the original library building were in great disrepair and there wasn’t a budget item to cover the expense of restoring these historic doors. The Friends paid to have the doors restored. The bathroom in the upstairs meeting room wasn’t handicapped accessible, the flooring needed replacing but again no money in the budget so the Friends remodeled and ensured the bathroom met the standards. Landscaping around the Library was dying (except for the weeds) so the Friends paid to have the dead plants and bushes removed and new hardscape installed as well as maintenance plants and grasses planted. Where ever there is a need not covered by the budget, the Friends try to meet that need as requested by the Library Director.
The Friends of the Library are a friendly, welcoming group of people dedicated to helping our lovely Lewistown Public Library. Over the years through working together we’ve formed great friendships and would willing welcome new members into our fellowship!
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Basic membership is $5.00 annually and membership forms are available at the Library Circulation Desk. Once you become a member of the Friends, you receive our emails notifying you of events, volunteer needs, work opportunities. If your interest is solely to be a dues paying member without doing any volunteer work, you can request your name be removed from the email list.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Friends sponsor a monthly used book sale at the Book Station. Preparation for the sale involves sorting and shelving the books according to genre and author. The Friends meet every Thursday from 10:00 am to noon to prepare for the sale. Our monthly sales require four volunteers to man the sales. However the Friends also prepare the food for the annual Chili Bowl, assist with the Author Dinner and help with Library Programming. We’re often asked to bring refreshments for some enrichment or social event.
TIME COMMITMENT
The Friends have discovered that there are two kinds of members: those who pay membership dues and those who pay their dues and help when they are able with book sorting, working sales, AND other volunteer requests. The Friends realize that people have lives outside the organization and therefore there’s no requirements about volunteering a specific number of hours, although we do appreciate our members who find time to help with our projects.
Friends of the Library have monthly meetings on the last Wednesday of each month at noon in the Upstairs Meeting Room of the Library. The Friends sort books for our book sales every Thursday from 10:00 am until noon at the Book Station, and our monthly book sales are held the first Saturday of every month from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm.
MAIN EVENTS
The monthly book sale, a Chili Bowl, and an Author's Dinner.
TO CONTACT
Call Lewistown Public Library at (406) 538-5212 or Marie Anderson, president, at (406) 535-2132.
